May 28, 2015, 11:17 pm
Last edit by: ChrisFlyer66
Posts in 2017 onwards are here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1826121-visa-gc-walmart-2017-a.html
Tips in Reading Your Walmart Receipt to Prevent Errors
1. Locate the barcode on the back of the Sunnie; this is what Wally uses to load it; somehow their system links the barcode with the account number in the background. The barcode number is what goes on your receipt.
2. Find the "loading" of the Sunnie at the BOTTOM of your receipt. (NOT the top)
3. The last four numbers of the barcode will be shown; that is how you match it to the Sunnie.
What Happens if a Clerk Attempts to Load 1 Sunnie Twice
It will tie up your CC money for 5-8 business days. It will automatically credit back at that time.
Misc. Issues
1. Reports indicate that some stores only accept cash/debit for GC. This doesn't appear to be the case in every store so YMMV.
2. In the same store (or during multiple transactions) misinformed CSRs may tell you "no credit cards." Try a different CSR, or go back.
3. If you receive a "tender not allowed" message or the first swipe didn't work, ask to try it again but don't argue the point. (For some reason, pin-enabled cards fail or take several attempts before they work.)
4. Remember: if your card didn't work and the CSR insists on seeing it or says "no CC allowed" it's best to try a different CSR, lane, or store.
Tips in Reading Your Walmart Receipt to Prevent Errors
1. Locate the barcode on the back of the Sunnie; this is what Wally uses to load it; somehow their system links the barcode with the account number in the background. The barcode number is what goes on your receipt.
2. Find the "loading" of the Sunnie at the BOTTOM of your receipt. (NOT the top)
3. The last four numbers of the barcode will be shown; that is how you match it to the Sunnie.
What Happens if a Clerk Attempts to Load 1 Sunnie Twice
It will tie up your CC money for 5-8 business days. It will automatically credit back at that time.
Misc. Issues
1. Reports indicate that some stores only accept cash/debit for GC. This doesn't appear to be the case in every store so YMMV.
2. In the same store (or during multiple transactions) misinformed CSRs may tell you "no credit cards." Try a different CSR, or go back.
3. If you receive a "tender not allowed" message or the first swipe didn't work, ask to try it again but don't argue the point. (For some reason, pin-enabled cards fail or take several attempts before they work.)
4. Remember: if your card didn't work and the CSR insists on seeing it or says "no CC allowed" it's best to try a different CSR, lane, or store.
Visa GC/ Walmart(through 2016)
May 23, 2016, 5:33 pm
#1081
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 56
I tried to buy 2 sunniest last weekend because I've heard chatter, register still spits out the same error. Possibly YMMV but still seems impossible to me.
May 23, 2016, 10:45 pm
#1083
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
May 29, 2016, 10:54 am
#1085
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 826
Seems my local walmart has started new procedure. When I buy VGC, the transaction goes through as usual, after terminal prints my receipt, I can see "waiting on CSM" on the display. It seems CSM remotely approves this, the terminal prints another receipt which cashier saves it. I'm not sure what they are up to? If I buy one more VGC after the 1st one, the same procedure repeats.
May 29, 2016, 11:21 am
#1086
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Posts: 1,929
your activity is being monitored !
May 30, 2016, 2:23 pm
#1087
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,166
So something weird happened this weekend trying to buy vGCs at WM. 1st store we each bought a single vGC for $500 from Green Dot (the former Sunnies). Store #2 I buy a $500 vGC with my Citi AA card and then my wife tries with her Surpass card and it says "canceled" and then "tender not allowed". Tried my Citi card for her vGC and it is also canceled. Went and got the exact same card I just bought and tried that and all those tries were canceled too. Cashier says you can't buy vGC with CC even though I had just done it before her. CSM came back to cancel that and said it should work, but she had no idea why it didn't. We should've tried another cashier but didn't want extra attention.
May 30, 2016, 2:37 pm
#1088
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
So something weird happened this weekend trying to buy vGCs at WM. 1st store we each bought a single vGC for $500 from Green Dot (the former Sunnies). Store #2 I buy a $500 vGC with my Citi AA card and then my wife tries with her Surpass card and it says "canceled" and then "tender not allowed". Tried my Citi card for her vGC and it is also canceled. Went and got the exact same card I just bought and tried that and all those tries were canceled too. Cashier says you can't buy vGC with CC even though I had just done it before her. CSM came back to cancel that and said it should work, but she had no idea why it didn't. We should've tried another cashier but didn't want extra attention.
May 31, 2016, 9:00 am
#1089
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,166
In my case there are no pending charges on either credit cards for the canceled ones. The terminal says Transaction Cancelled instead of Approved, and then a CSM needs to come and turn a key to cancel/void out everything. What's weird is that I was able to buy a vGC first and then the error happened on the 2nd and 3rd ones that we tried. It's a total PITA and brings unwanted attention.
May 31, 2016, 10:02 am
#1090
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 42
Same Error Happened to Me
In my case there are no pending charges on either credit cards for the canceled ones. The terminal says Transaction Cancelled instead of Approved, and then a CSM needs to come and turn a key to cancel/void out everything. What's weird is that I was able to buy a vGC first and then the error happened on the 2nd and 3rd ones that we tried. It's a total PITA and brings unwanted attention.
Interestingly enough, the cashier told me that gift cards were debit only and that I needed to enter my pin. Probably untrue, but that is what I was told anyway.
May 31, 2016, 11:47 am
#1091
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 88
Superorb: I experienced the same error attempting to purchase a VGC yesterday. I'll try again in a few days and see if the dust settles any. Could have tried another card or terminal, but didn't want to draw the extra attention.
Interestingly enough, the cashier told me that gift cards were debit only and that I needed to enter my pin. Probably untrue, but that is what I was told anyway.
Interestingly enough, the cashier told me that gift cards were debit only and that I needed to enter my pin. Probably untrue, but that is what I was told anyway.
May 31, 2016, 11:58 am
#1092
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
Superorb: I experienced the same error attempting to purchase a VGC yesterday. I'll try again in a few days and see if the dust settles any. Could have tried another card or terminal, but didn't want to draw the extra attention.
Interestingly enough, the cashier told me that gift cards were debit only and that I needed to enter my pin. Probably untrue, but that is what I was told anyway.
Interestingly enough, the cashier told me that gift cards were debit only and that I needed to enter my pin. Probably untrue, but that is what I was told anyway.
May 31, 2016, 4:32 pm
#1093
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,166
There's some button that pops up on their screen that they need to hit at just the right time or the system times out and says Tender Not Allowed. Some older registers require hitting the "Debit/Credit" button. Unless something changed very recently, it's totally the fault of the cashier when that happens. Obviously if you're a regular and go to some store often they eventually learn how to do it right.
May 31, 2016, 8:27 pm
#1094
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 826
Anyone buying mutilple $500 VGCs prefer to fly under radar and not draw unwanted attention. How many VGCs you buy at a time? If you buy too many, that will draw an attention, if you buy few, rinse and repeat that can also draw attention as they see you in different lines around the same time frame.
May 31, 2016, 9:06 pm
#1095
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
Anyone buying mutilple $500 VGCs prefer to fly under radar and not draw unwanted attention. How many VGCs you buy at a time? If you buy too many, that will draw an attention, if you buy few, rinse and repeat that can also draw attention as they see you in different lines around the same time frame.